Mack’s mDrive HD automated manual transmission will handle most vocational duties with three programmable operating modes – Easy Shift, Enhanced Construction and Heavy Haul -- when it goes into full production in mid-May.

The North American truck market continues to heat up, exceeding expectations, said Daimler Trucks North America head Martin Daum in a press briefing at the Mid-America Trucking Show -- and demand for the DT12 automated manual has far exceeded even Daum's optimistic goals.

Volvo Truck claims to be first in the world to launch a dual-clutch automated mechanical transmission in heavy trucks, and HDT European Editor Sven-Erik Lindstrand was on hand to try them out. Photos by Sven-Erik Lindstrand and Volvo Trucks.

A new report from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and the Carbon War Room verifies what manufacturers and many users have been saying about modern self-shifting gearboxes for some time.

The new Detroit Assurance from Daimler Trucks North America is an active vehicle safety system that complements fuel efficiency while adding a huge measure of driver convenience. The system was formally unveiled at a ride-and-drive event in Miami, Florida, on Friday.

SAN DIEGO – Daimler Trucks North America expects steady growth in truck sales over the next couple of years, projecting this year will end up with 374,000 Class 6-8 units sold in North America and 411,000 for 2015 – and it's getting ready to ramp up its production to accommodate.